Tenacity with Sonia C.

Most people think writing a book means sitting alone for months, struggling with words, doubting their ability, and hoping something good comes out the other side. That belief is wrong, and it’s costing founders credibility, confidence, and revenue. In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C., Sonia sits down with Ben Cena, founder of High Value Author, to break down why publishing a book is not about being a writer, it’s about being strategic. This is a conversation for founders, consultants, and leaders who want to build authority, attract better clients, and turn their expertise into leverage, without burning years trying to “write.” Ben explains: -Why every leader already knows a book, even if English isn’t their first language -The difference between being a writer and being an author, and why that distinction matters -How most leaders sabotage their books by skipping strategy and alignment -Why books are solutions to problems, not creative projects -The biggest mistakes leaders make when self-publishing -How a book can increase conversions, credibility, and confidence -When publishing a book actually makes sense, and when it doesn’t -Why execution matters more than ideas in a market with millions of books Sonia brings the conversation back to what leaders really care about: -clarity, momentum, confidence, and progress. If you’re building a personal brand, consulting business, or leadership platform, and you’ve been told “you need a book” but don’t know where to start, this episode gives you the logic, structure, and mindset shift to decide your next move. This isn’t about becoming an author for ego. It’s about using a book as a tool for growth, credibility, and resilience. https://soniacouto.com/ Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

What if the biggest thing holding your business back… is you? In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C., Sonia sits down with Jason Berkowitz, founder and CEO of a 15-year SEO agency, to unpack one of the hardest lessons founders must learn to scale: the power of delegation. Jason shares his journey from solo operator to agency leader, and why trying to do everything himself nearly became the biggest bottleneck in his business. Together, Sonia and Jason have a raw, honest conversation about letting go of control, trusting your team, and why founders who refuse to delegate often stall their own growth. They dive into: Why do founders become the biggest bottleneck in their companies The mindset shift required to move from freelancer to scalable founder How delegation unlocks better execution, stronger teams, and real growth Letting go of the fear that “no one will care as much as I do.” Making tough people decisions without guilt Building a business that scales without burnout or constant hustle This episode is for founders who feel overwhelmed, stretched thin, or stuck doing everything themselves, and know something has to change. If you’ve ever thought “I’ll just do it myself”, this conversation may be the wake-up call you need. Real founders. Real lessons. Real rebuilding. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Ego can build companies, and it can destroy them. In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C., Host Sonia Couto sits down with Robert Matzkin, serial entrepreneur, coach, and advisor who has launched 17 startups and exited two, to unpack the hard truths about ego, execution, burnout, and rebuilding as a founder. Robert shares how unchecked ego nearly cost him businesses, relationships, and clarity, and how learning to listen to data, coaches, and the market changed the way he builds and leads. From launching his first business at a young age to navigating investor pressure, failed bets, and personal burnout, this conversation pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to survive and scale in entrepreneurship. Together, Sonia and Robert dive into: -Why the ego is one of the most dangerous forces in entrepreneurship -The difference between being coachable and ignoring your instincts -How founders can recover from burnout without losing momentum -What investors actually look for when raising capital today -Why execution and traction matter more than ideas -How to protect yourself from bad investors and broken partnerships -Why the most successful founders still have coaches This episode is for founders, startup leaders, and entrepreneurs who are navigating pivots, failure, burnout, or high-stakes decisions and need grounded, real-world insight from someone who’s been there. If you’ve ever questioned yourself as a founder, struggled with ego, or felt the weight of building alone, this conversation will remind you that tenacity isn’t about being fearless, it’s about learning, adapting, and executing anyway. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

At just 20 years old, Aleksandar Svetski lost everything, $200,000 in debt, wiped out by the stock market, living on a friend’s floor, and selling door-to-door to afford a can of tuna. That rock-bottom moment didn’t break him; it built him. In this raw and unapologetic conversation, Sonia sits down with Alex to unpack the failures, pivots, and rebuilds that shaped his unconventional path from debt to becoming a leading voice in the Bitcoin space. From early entrepreneurial mistakes to launching the world’s first Bitcoin-only savings app to stepping away when regulation and burnout crushed his joy. Alex shares the truth behind resilience that most founders rarely discuss. In this episode, we dive into: -Losing $200K and rebuilding from zero -The life-changing lessons of door-to-door rejection -Why his early startup failed and how that led to Bitcoin -Battling regulators while trying to innovate -Knowing when persistence becomes self-destruction -How to avoid “founder Frankenstein” product mistakes -What the next generation of Bitcoin adoption will really look like If you’re a founder facing uncertainty, burnout, or the fear of letting go, this episode will challenge how you think about resilience and what it truly means to rebuild. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

What does it take to build and scale a tech startup while your country is under attack? In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C, Ukrainian founder Oleksandr (“Alex”) Buratynskyi, co-founder of T-Travel, shares the raw, unfiltered truth about growing a startup during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with no outside funding, constant uncertainty, and the pressure to keep his team motivated while the world around him shifted overnight. Alex opens up about: -The hackathon spark that pushed him from QA testing into entrepreneurship -Bootstrapping T-Travel through wartime conditions when investors disappeared -How the invasion changed everything, from funding to timelines to team morale -The biggest mistake he made as a founder (and how it cost years of time and money) -Why overbuilding early nearly crushed the company -How he scaled to 37,000+ users without VC dollars -The mindset tools he used to stay steady while leading through crisis -His philosophy from his book Systematic Adaptiveness, and how founders can apply it in their own moments of chaos This conversation serves as a blueprint for fostering founder resilience, resourcefulness, and psychological endurance. If you’re navigating failure, rebuilding after a setback, or fighting to keep your dream alive, Alex’s story will remind you that tenacity is a strategy, not just a trait. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

What does it take to leave a decade-long career at JP Morgan and build a profitable fintech startup in one of the most stigmatized industries in America, Cannabis? In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C., host Sonia Couto sits down with Aubrey Amatelli, founder and CEO of PayRio, the first payment provider focused exclusively on cannabis and alternative medicines. Aubrey shares her journey from the stability of corporate banking to the chaos of startup life, all while raising three kids as a single mom. She opens up about: Leaving JP Morgan to launch a cannabis fintech from scratch Turning stigma into strategy in an underbanked industry Hitting profitability in under 12 months, self-funded Balancing motherhood, burnout, and leadership in a male-dominated space How one platform crash reshaped her entire approach to resilience This conversation is a masterclass in tenacity, purpose-driven leadership, and building credibility when the system isn’t built for you. 🎧 Listen if you’re a founder breaking barriers, rebuilding after setbacks, or redefining success in a stigmatized industry. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands